Protector device for brush head



July 18, 1967 R. T. ANGLlN 3,331,493

PROTECTOR DEVICE FOR BRUSH HEAD Filed June 7, 1966 0 O O O O O O O O Q 0JfiiIZii O O O O O 80 O O 0 O O o o O o o RICHARD r ANGL/N, I/WE/VTOR83H 0 O O O 0 gm/w o o o cr 5 61 0? J L ATTORNEY United States Patent3,331,493 PROTECTOR DEVICE FOR BRUSH HEAD Richard T. Anglin, 124 S.Roselane, Columbus, Nebr. 68601 Filed June 7, 1966, Ser. No. 555,783 1Claim. (Cl. 206-151) This invention relates to protector devices for abrush head. In particular this invention relates to a protector devicewhich may be removably attached over the headed end of a tooth brush andsimilar brushes of the type comprising an elongate stock or shank havingan array of bristles attached to the elongate stock near the forward endthereof. For the purposes of this patent application, the headed end ofa brush is defined to mean the array of bristles together with thatadjacent portion of the stock to which the bristles are attached.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a removable brushprotector device that will fully protect the headed end of a tooth brushor similar type brush from its environment.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a means forpromoting the sanitation of tooth brushes between dental uses thereof.

It is another object to provide a removable brush protector device thatis adapted to serve as a tooth brush carrying case and which is equallysuitable for home use and for travel purposes.

In the case of home use, it is an object to provide a brush protectordevice that is adapted to stand uprightly on a shelf to uprightlysupport the enclosed brush, and in addition which will permit the toothbrush and its associated protector to be hung from a hook or peg.

In the case of travel use, it is an object to provide a brush protectorwhich may be packed within luggage without subjecting the tooth brushbristles to unsanitary conditions.

It is yet another object to provide a brush protector device of suitableventilated construction to allow moist bristles to dry between periodsof use.

It is a further object to provide a brush protector device that isadmirably suited as a merchandising package for tooth brushes.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a brushprotector device that may be firmly, yet removably, engaged to theheaded end of a brush without damage to the bristle members thereof.

It is a further object to provide a removable protector device throughwhich the rearward portion of the brush stock extends so that the brushand its protector may be carried about by grasping either the brushstock or the associated protector.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view which willbecome apparent as the description proceeds, the invention comprises thenovel form, combination, and arrangement of parts as hereinafter morefully described, reference being had to the accompanying drawingswherein like numbers refer to like parts in the several views and inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the brushprotector device of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional elevational view of the brush protector devicetaken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, the brush head being disposed withinthe rearward entrance opening of the brush protector device.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional plan view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2showing temporary lateral deflection of opposed peripheral bristles uponinsertion of the brush head through the entrance opening of the brushprotector device.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the brush pro- 333L493 PatentedJuly 18, 1967 "ice tector device surrounding the head end of a brush,said brush being supported from its rearward end.

FIGURE 5 is a schematic view showing a typical spacing of bristles for abrush head of the common type comprising an array of substantiallyparallel bristles.

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the brush protector device showing analternate shape of entrance opening.

As can best be seen in FIGURE 1-4, the brush protector device 9 isadapted to removably surround the array of bristles located at theforward portion of a common brush 70. Brush 70 may typically comprise anelongate rigid stock or shank 71 having a forward end 73 and a rearwardend 74 there being an array of substantially parallel flexible bristleslocated nearer to the brush for- Ward end 73. The respective bristlemembers of array 80 are normally substantially parallel to each otherand perpendicular to a surface of brush stock 71. Brush protector device9 is of generally elongate tubular form having a rearward entranceopening of appropriate size and shape to permit insertion therethroughof the brush stock forward portion while temporarily laterallydeflecting opposed peripheral bristle members of bristle array 80.

The brush protector device 9 preferably comprises two distinct elementsincluding a hollow tubular member 10 having a closed forward end 11 andan open rearward end 12, and a cap member 20 removably attached over thetubular member open rearward end 12. When two distinct elements 10 and20 are so employed, the device 9 may be readily disassembled to permitcleansing of the device interior walls. Although cap member 20 may beremovably attached to tubular member 10 in a variety of ways, includingthe use of tight frictional engagement between the members 10 and 20,the respective elements may be threadedly engaged as shown in thedrawing. To facilitate the cleansing operation of device 9, the interiorwalls thereof are desirably of linearly generated configuration. Forexample, tubular member 10 may desirably assume a cylindrical shapehaving a curvilinear internal elongate wall. Device 9 may have aplurality of ventilation per forations to permit drying of wet bristles,as for example, the lateral perforations 14 within tubular member 10.Device 9 preferably includes a planar external surface remote of thebrush entrance opening to uprightly support device 9 and a brush 70contained therein; for example, the forward end external surface 15 oftubular member 10 at end 11 may be planar as shown.

The rearward entrance opening of device 9 is of irregular shape. Thepreferred type entrance opening has two portions including an upperportion and a lower portion, the average width of the upper portionbeing greater than the average width of the lower portion. For example,the entrance opening 30 of FIGURES 1-3 is of T-shaped configurationhaving a transverse wider upper portion 31 and a narrow stern lowerportion 32 having a finite width.

The combination of protector device 9 and brush 79 is illustrated inFIGURE 2-4. As shown in phantom line in FIGURE 2, the length of brush 70between its forward and rearward ends 73 and 74 exceeds the elongatelength of device 9 so that, when the brush 70 is fully inserted withindevice 9 to abut end 11, its rearward end 74 extends rearwardly andexternally of device 9, the brush shank 71 being disposed within thedevice rearward entrance opening e.g. 30. The internal cross-sectionalsize of the tubular member 10 exceeds the maximum cross-sectional sizefor the brush headed portion i.e., the bristles array 80 and theadjacent stock 71 attached thereto, so that the device 9 willaccommodate the brush headed portion therewithin without deformation ofthe bristles array. However, in order that device 9 may securely, thoughremovably, surround the brush headed portion, it is necessary thatperipheral members of the bristles array 80 be temporarily laterallydeflected upon insertion of the brush head through the device rearwardentrance opening without deflecting the cap member along the length ofthe brush elongate shank.

FIGURES 2 and 3 illustrate the condition of the bristles array 80 uponinsertion of the brush 70 through the irregular rearward entranceopening 30, to temporarily laterally deflect at least peripheral membersof the bristles array 30. For the purposes of illustrating the requiredlateral deflection of the peripheral bristle members toward each other,an array of forty substantially parallel bristles (as schematicallyshown in FIGURE 5) is arbitrarily chosen, said array comprising eightaligned rows 8188 (also shown in FIGURE 2) and five aligned columns AE(also shown in FIGURE 3). As can best be seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, thecross-sectional size of the opening wider upper portion e.gv 31, islarger than the maximum cross-sectional size of the brush shank forwardportion. Shank forward portion is defined to mean that portion of .shank71 adjacent to its forward end 73 internally within device 9, saidforward portion not exceeding the axial or elongate length of device 9.The overall height of opening 36 from its base 33 to its top 34preferably exceeds the maximum aggregate height of the brush head (thedistance H of FIGURE 2) so that at least one medial column of bristlese.g. C, may be inserted through the rearward opening without rearwarddeflection of the bristles.

The width of the rearward opening lower portion 32 is less than themaximum width of the bristles array eg between peripheral opposedcolumns A and E, so that opposed peripheral bristles eig. columns A andE, will temporarily deflect laterally toward the center of array 80 uponinsertion of the array through the device rearward opening 30. As can beseen in FIGURE 3, opposed peripheral bristles 86A and 86E are laterallydeflected a marked degree by the T-shaped opening 30, said peripheralbristles 86A and 86E conforming to the curved junc ture of portions 31and 32. Intermediate member bristles 86B and 86D are laterally deflectedonly a very slight degree, while the bristles of medial column C (andspecifically bristle 86C) are neither laterally nor rearwardly deflectedwhen passing through the device rearward opening. However, as indicatedin dotted line in FIGURE 3, upon emergence into the hollow interior ofdevice 9, the temporarily deformed flexible bristles reassume theirnormal configuration, herein perpendicular to stock 71. Because thebrush head is of greater cross-sectional size than is rearward opening353, and specifically the bristles array 80 being of greatercross-sectional size than opening lower portion 31, the protector device9 will remain securely about the brush headed end. The protector device9 may be removed from its surrounding engagement with the brush head byexerting a firm rearward pull upon brush 7% and thus temporarilylaterally re-deflecting the bristles through rearward opening 30. If theweight of removable protector device 9 is sufficiently light, the devicewill remain firmly about the brush headed portion even when the brush 70is uprightly supported from its rearward end 74 as being hung on a peg76 passing through brush rearward hole 75. Transparent thermoplasticstructural materials are preferred for their visual clarity and ease ofcleansing and because they are normally sufliciently light in weight asnot to laterally deflect the peripheral bristles when the brush isuprightly supported as in FIGURE 4; Under the conditions of FIGURE 4,bristles array 30 is adjacent to cap member 20. If height of device 9 iskept reasonably short and the cross-sectional size thereof is not toonarrow, the device 9 will stably rest upon its exterior planar endsurface 15 even with a brush contained therein.

The alternate shape rearward opening 60 of FIGURE 6 comprises a widerrectangular upper portion 61 and a narrower triangular lower portion 62.Wider upper portion 61 is designed to accommodate the forward portion ofbrush shank 71 while the narrower lower portion 62 is designed tolaterally deflect the peripheral bristle members of array as in the caseof analagous portion 32 of rearward opening variety 39. As with therearward opening 30 heretofore described, the brush head is of greatercross-sectional size than is opening 60, and further the bristles array80 is of greater cross-sectional size than is triangular lower portion62.The overall height of opening 60 between apex 63 and top end 64 ispreferably greater than aggregate height H of the brush head so that atleast one interior column of bristles may be inserted through opening 60without rearward deflection of the bristles during insertion thereofinto the interior of device 9.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of V the removablebrush protector device will be readily understood and furtherexplanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerousmodifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in theart, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact constructionshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appendedclaim.

What is claimed is as follows:

A protector device in removable combination with the headed end of abrush having an elongate shank and an array of substantially parallelbristles attached adjacent to the forward end of said shank, thebristles of said brush being disposed internally within the protectordevice, said protector device comprising: a hollow elongate tubularmember having a closed forward end and an open rearward end, the forwardend of the tubular member being imperforate and having a planar externalsurface ada ted to uprightly support the protector device and the brushdisposed therein, and a cap member removably attached over the openrearward end of the elongate tubular member, said cap member beingprovided with a perforation of generally T-shaped configuration havingan upper transverse portion and a lower stern portion that is narrowerthan the upper transverse portion, the cross-sectional size of theT-shaped perforation transverse upper portion being larger than themaximum cross-sectional size of that portion of the brush shank disposedwithin the tubular member, the perforation narrower lower portion havinga finite cross-sectional width that is less than that of the bristlesarray, the juncture of the two perforate portions being curved and thecap member being relatively inflexible whereby, when the brush headpasses through the cap member perforation, opposed peripheral bristlesof the bristles array will temporarily deflect laterally toward thecenter of the bristles array to assume the contour of the perforationcurved juncture without deflecting the cap member along the length ofthe brush'elo-ngate shank, the cross-sectional height of the capperforation being greater than the maximum height of the bristles arrayto permit passing of the bristles array through the perforation withoutrearward deflection of the bristles, the elongate length of theprotector device being shorter than the length distance of the brushbetween its forward and rearward ends whereby the brush shank extendsthrough the cap member perforation and the brush rearward end isdisposed externally and rearwardly of the protector.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS THERON E. CONDON, PrimaryExaminer.

WILLIAM T. DIXSON, JR., Examiner.

